Page 66 of Seduced by an Irresistible Lady

Lady Lavinia stared forward. Her eyes showed her reflective mood.

“I’d still come back, but that means I will go back to Ireland, surely,” Lady Lavina finally added.

There was a rustling of leaves as Miss Justina appeared around the corner carrying a tray with a jug on it. She dropped the tray on a bench opposite the bench her mistress sat on. Then she drew the bench closer to Lady Lavinia and Helena. There were sandwiches on plates with cookies on other smaller plates. There were two cups in the tray. Miss Lavinia poured out lemonade from the jug into the cups.

Helena picked a plate with a sandwich on it. She bit into it and chewed. She was hungry. She realised that now the food was here. She hadn’t noticed before Miss Justina brought it.

“Miss Morgana is hosting a ball in two weeks’ time. You are going to be there, aren’t you?” Lady Lavinia asked Helena.

Helena knew of no such ball. She waited to chew and swallow the food in her mouth before speaking.

“I knew not of the ball. Is it Miss Morgana of Cornwall?” Helena asked.

The comment drew a stifled laugh from Miss Justina. Lady Lavinia couldn’t be bothered to hide hers, allowing herself to laugh aloud. Helena had only seen Miss Morgana once. The woman was a beauty with a voluptuous body, just as beautiful as mouths had reported. She was a Cyprian and rumoured to be the favourite mistress of the Duke of Cornwall. The woman lived in a fine house with handsome furnishing; it was said, all from the pocket of the Duke. Miss Morgana of Cornwall soon became a way of referring to her.

“Are you attending?” Helena asked Lady Lavinia.

Lady Lavinia nodded.

“Of course, I will be there. She sent me an invite, and one for a possible partner. The woman really knows how to host a splendid party, despite her shady morals. And her friends will be there, the light-skirted lot,” Lady Lavinia said.

“So you would be going with the Prince,” Helena said.

“Drew would, of course, be my partner. He’ll be at my side throughout.”

Helena understood what her friend meant by the final statement.

She won’t let him out of her sight.

“Since she invited me, expect an invitation anytime from now. And do not even worry yourself about Lord Jeffrey. He is going to be there. The woman invites the cream of the crop. Besides, Lord Jeffrey hardly misses parties like this.”

Helena said nothing. She felt no impulse to protect Lord Jeffrey. She really felt nothing at all.

Chapter 14

Bearing Gifts

Dr Frederick dropped the shiny paper he had removed from the small, white envelope with a green ribbon. It was an invitation to attend Miss Morgana’s private ball in two weeks.

How do I get invitations to these kinds of balls anyway?

Dr Frederick had not seen the woman in his life.

“Frank, Frank,” Dr Frederick called.

“Yes, sir,” Mister Frank answered before running into the room.

Dr Frederick stretched the letter to him. Mister Frank collected it and read.

“Do you know of this Miss Morgana?” Dr Frederick asked.

“Yes sir, I do. She is, uhm, rumoured to be a ladybird of the Duke of Cornwall.”

Dr Frederick tapped his forehead. He now understood how the invitation had gotten to him. He was a family physician and good friend of the Duke of Cornwall. The woman must have somehow gotten his particulars from the Duke.

Dr Frederick smiled knowingly. He always warned the Duke about his goatish character, but the man never regarded it.

“Do you think it would be a ball worth attending?” Dr Frederick asked his dresser.